TW: abuse, including mentioned of sexual abuse
Gabriel was not ready for what he found in the files. He was not ready for any of it. He wasn't ready to find out what his father did to Claire. And he wasn't ready to deal with the indescribable pain that came with it. Many things started to fall into place. Claire's past started to make more sense. But… the rage that's started to fill him was beyond anything he ever felt. He needed to do something before he was to explode.
Alex arrived downstairs just in time to find Gabriel rushing down the stairs. His face was one of determination, one of a person who was on the way to murder someone.
"Gabriel." Alex started carefully. "Where are you going?"
"Where the fuck do you think I'm going?" Gabriel barked at his best friend.
"Well, I don't think you're going anywhere." Alex said sternly.
"I'm going to kill him!!! I'M GOING TO KILL HIM!!!" Gabriel roared as he punched the wall. He tried his hardest to calm down but the anger was unbearable. He cried, he screamed, and he hit and threw everything that was in his proximity as he made his way towards the door. Alex looked genuinely terrified as he never saw his friend lose it this much. Gabriel was completely out of control.
"Stop, Gabriel." Alex said sternly. "Don't do anything you will regret."
Gabriel ignored Alex, but to his surprise, Alex moved and blocked his way.
"Get the fuck out of my way!" Gabriel roared at his friend. Alex was sure that he was going to get punched but the hit didn't come.
"I've promised Claire that I won't let you do anything stupid." Alex said calmly. Only now Gabriel realised that Matthew and Jacque stood by the door having just arrived as well.
Gabriel tried walking past Alex but Alex grabbed him by his arm.
"GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY WAY!!!" Gabriel roared with a warning in his voice. He couldn't be stopped. He wouldn't be stopped.
"Claire was clear that we shouldn't let you kill anyone." Alex said coldly. "She asked us to come to help you calm down, to support you, to help you through it. I will not move and neither will Jacque or Matthew. We are here to stop you from doing anything you'll regret."
"I DON'T CARE! SHE'S NOT HERE! SHE LEFT ME! - AGAIN!" Gabriel punched a wall with full force. His skin broke, bleeding all over, but it didn't even touch the very tip of the rage he felt. "SHE NEVER TRUSTED ME! SHE HATED ME!!!" Gabriel screamed. "AND SHE NEVER TOLD ME WHY! WHY DIDN'T SHE TELL ME?!"
"Look, I don't know what happened exactly. What I know is that Claire called me and asked me to come here to stop you. She cares for you, Gabriel, even if she doesn't know how to deal with this." Alex said in unusual calmness as he crossed his arms.
"I DON'T CARE!" Gabriel screamed again, his veins showing on his face. He pushed Alex out of the way and stormed towards the door. To his surprise, Jacque and Matthew showed more resistance. All three did their best in containing Gabriel, pinning him to the ground with help of two more bodyguards. Gabriel was shocked to see his own staff act against him, but he didn't say much, kicking and fighting with all his strength. It took them almost an hour of pinning him down to the floor before he stopped trying to punch their teeth out. His friends watched in horror how Gabriel acted, unsure of how exactly it was prompted and unsure of how to stop it.
Even after that, Gabriel was still too angry to cope. He destroyed everything within his reach. They've let him. Alex even encouraged him. He followed Gabriel into the garage where Gabriel picked up the axe that was hidden in the corner and he cheered when Gabriel smashed the dining table into, essentially, dust. Alex decided that it was healthier than having Gabriel fight them or try to kill someone. It was the only way Gabriel could get his rage out without hurting someone or himself. Gabriel kept going all the way through the night and well into the morning. The staff that came in the morning entered the villa with pure terror. As advised by Alex, they've stayed out of the way, watching Gabriel from a safe distance.
Claire walked in to find all of the staff in the hallway with Matthew and Jacque by the entrance to the living room. There was tension and uncomfortable silence between them, but the noise of breaking things echoed through.
"Claire." Martha looked at Claire with fear and anxiety, but also hope.
"Miss Thompson, maybe now it's not the best time for Mr Moore." One of the maids chipped in with concern.
"Claire!" Matthew and Jacque turned to her with a bit more excitement.
"Is Gabriel alright?" Claire barely managed to utter as she walked through the hallway towards the two men.
"Depends what you consider alright." Jacque answered honestly. Claire noticed the dining room furniture in shreds, feeling a deep pit in her stomach.
"Did he harm himself?" Claire rephrased the question.
"Not much beyond a few scrapes."
"That's good." Claire nodded as she hesitated. Gabriel was in the living room for sure but she wasn't sure if she could face him. She was full of dread and guilt. He must've hated her for all of this. He must've hated her for 'being damaged'. He must've hated her.
It took a lot of courage for her to take the last few steps and come into the view of the living room. Alex stood in the centre of the room, a few feet away from Gabriel. He spoke to Gabriel calmly, giving him space to unload his rage whilst trying to help him calm down.
"Yeah, you've got this." Alex said with a nod of approval. "Get it all out."
"Fuck off, Alex!" Gabriel shouted between the swings of an axe.
"This is healthier than killing people. Keep going." Alex said calmly.
Gabriel swung an axe, breaking the sofa further.
"I HATE HIM!!!" Gabriel roared, his face twisted in rage, all red, with tears pouring down his cheeks. "I'LL KILL HIM!!!"
"Keep going, mate." Alex said calmly. His calmness was rather unsettling. Claire was surprised that Gabriel didn't swing the axe at him already. Alex noticed her before Gabriel did, giving her an encouraging smile. "You may want to take it easy now." Alex said to Gabriel.
"Fuck off." Gabriel uttered as he swung the axe again.
"Yeah, no, chill your beans, Gabriel." Alex repeated. Gabriel growled at him, still maintaining the razor focus on the sofa that did nothing wrong but was axed into pieces. Alex rolled his eyes at Gabriel's stubbornness. All the household members gathered behind Claire, curious about what was to happen. "I know there's a lot of frustration in you right now, but maybe start taking it slow?"
"Frustration?" Gabriel asked. "I'm beyond frustration, Alex. I'm beyond angry. I'm beyond rage." He looked at Alex as he was spitting out the words. Alex nodded towards Claire who was frozen, too afraid to approach Gabriel and too afraid to be on the receiving end of his outburst whilst he was clearly at the stage where he was able to kill someone.
"Claire…" Gabriel uttered, his face still red but his voice was different. He walked towards her with his power walk, almost as if he were to pounce at her. Claire instinctively flinched and dropped down. She expected the axe to be aimed at her. Instead, she felt Gabriel's embrace around her as he dropped to his knees beside her and pulled her into his arms, cradling her head and sobbing into her hair. "I'm so sorry, Claire. I'm so sorry."
Gabriel held onto her tightly, his rage changing into heartbreak which was nothing like what he ever felt before. "I'm so sorry, Claire. Please forgive me. Forgive me."
"I don't understand." Claire managed to utter at last.
Gabriel moved her face away from his chest, holding it gently so that she could face him.
"I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry for every single thing that ever happened to you. I'm sorry that I was ignorant enough to not know. I'm sorry, Claire."
"I think that's our cue, ladies and gentlemen." Alex said to the crowd that gathered pointing them out. Surprisingly, everyone left rather quickly.
"Why did you break the sofa and dining table?" Claire asked with her eyes wide open. Gabriel chuckled nervously.
"That's not the only thing that took a beating. You organised them to stop me from killing my father and I couldn't let it out anywhere else. Alex gave me an axe."
"I'm not sure whether giving a person that wants to kill an axe is that good of an idea." Claire furrowed her brows.
"You're deflecting." Gabriel noted as he pressed his forehead against Claire's.
"I'm not sure what to say, Gabriel." Claire admitted.
"Tell me what you're thinking right now."
"I was sure that you'll swing that axe at me and I'm grateful that you didn't."
Gabriel's face briefly twisted in pain as he swallowed loudly.
"I am never going to hurt you again, Claire. I will never hurt you." He cried as he said that. "And no one else will. No one, Claire."
"I don't think I understand." Claire mumbled.
"What's there not to understand?"
"I expected you to hate me."
"My father is a monster. He always has been. I just didn't know that it extended outside of our home. I didn't know, Claire." Gabriel started to calm his sobs. "Now I understand. I understand why you considered me to be your family's enemy, why you didn't tell your parents about us, and why you couldn't trust me. I understand it all, Claire. You must've hated me so much. Now I understand just how much it was. I understand why you couldn't be near me and why you fought me so hard. And I'm so sorry for being so blind."
"But…" Claire gulped unsure how to put the words together. "Gabriel, I'm suing your father." She uttered at last.
"That's good." Gabriel nodded, still sobbing. "I'll help you. I'll make sure that he gets the death sentence or rots in prison."
"But…"
"What? Tell me what, Claire?"
"He is your father, Gabriel."
"By blood, maybe. But there's nothing else between us. There hasn't been even before you came around. Now, he is beyond being my worst enemy."
"I don't understand." Claire mumbled still surprised by Gabriel's reaction.
"What don't you understand, Claire?!" Gabriel grew in frustration. "He is responsible for your pain, Claire. Years of hurt and pain. He-… He-…" Gabriel stuttered. "When I found out that these men at the university assaulted you I wanted them dead. Knowing that my father was behind that attack and that…" Gabriel barely could speak between tears. "I didn't know, Claire. I didn't know. I know that you didn't want me to know. I understand it. I really do. But…" Gabriel held her tighter. "No one will ever hurt you again, Claire. I promise. And I promise that I'll stand beside you when you drag him through the mud."
"But… I'm damaged." Claire uttered. Claire's words shook Gabriel. He let go of her so that he could see her face. Suddenly, his hysteric sobs stopped.
"What in the actual f*ck, Claire? Damaged?" He furrowed his brows. "You aren't damaged. What even is that supposed to mean?"
"I'm not pure or…" Claire cried as she spoke.
"Stop this immediately." Gabriel cut her off. "I don't want to listen to this. You were a victim, Claire, to the vilest crime. I don't understand why…" Gabriel wasn't able to finish his sentence. "I don't understand where this is coming from."
"I'm just worried that as your wife I will never be able to be intimate with you, or that knowing of what happened you may no longer want me. I feel damaged and dirty and used." Claire started mumbling nervously. "I don't deserve to be loved, especially by you, and if you feel like you can't go past it, I'll understand."
"This hasn't changed how I feel about you." Gabriel said sternly. "Maybe slightly. Now I know that I can kill for you. Because my father deserves it."
"Please, Gabriel…" Claire said quietly. "He is still your father after all. I understand if you don't want to pick the sides of this battle."
"Are you deaf?" Gabriel asked sharply. "I've said that I'll stand beside you and I'll do everything to take him down."
"Gabriel…" Claire looked at him warily.
"I love you, Claire. I love you and it isn't going to change. What those files contain… they haven't changed how I feel about you."
"Are you sure?"
"Hundred per cent, Claire."
"But, I might never be able to be intimate with you…" Claire started carefully.
"I will never expect it, Claire. I will always respect your 'No' and I will wait for the day when you're ready on your own. If it doesn't come, I'll live. You being happy and safe with me is worth much more than sex." Gabriel's voice was rather sharp but reassuring. Claire could tell that he was still on the edge. "I understand why you don't want it. I understand why it is challenging for you. I can't even imagine how much it must've hurt when your own boyfriend…" Gabriel's voice vanished. "I'm sorry that you were so betrayed."
Gabriel's head was filled with the words written in the files. Each file contained a slightly different aspect of it, and together they showed the most horrifying truth.
Michael Moore organised an attack on Claire, using her then-boyfriend to do it. It was hard to tell what the goal of the attack was, whether it was the assault or her murder. But she was raped and beaten to the brink of death, barely coming out alive, by someone she trusted. After that, every connection was concealed. Everything was hidden. And she was sent away under different names to hospitals, to psychiatric, to facilities. Each of them seemed to destroy and break her further.
Gabriel still didn't understand why his father was involved in the attack on Claire and why he paid those men to attack her. Or at least, that came out from the statements gathered within one of the files. But he didn't doubt it. He knew that his father was a monster for longer than anyone.
"Gabriel, those files don't have solid evidence. Besides medical examinations and my statements… I will provide you with evidence in the days to come. I have it stored safely but it'll take some time to get to it." Claire said quickly.
"I don't doubt it, Claire." Gabriel admitted. "I trust you. But also… I know my father. I know what he is capable of." Gabriel leaned back in, hugging Claire again. "I know what kind of monster he is."
"What?" Claire looked up at him with worry.
"My father was abusive in many ways. He believed in disciplining me by hitting me with a rod until I bled, over things that were normal for a child. He was also abusive towards my mother. He mistreated her throughout my entire life, right in front of me. I wasn't able to do much to defend her then, but the only thing I could do was to promise myself that I'll never be like him." Gabriel swallowed. "He would beat her up, and then drag her to the bedroom, and I'd hear her scream 'No', and then she'd stay in her room for hours if not days after, sobbing. I didn't understand it at the time. It was hard when I became an adult and realised what those screams meant. To make it worse, my dad had a series of affairs, often flaunting them to my mother, bringing women home after hurting her, making sure that she heard it… He wanted to hurt her, and he hurt those women too, and by proxy - us, me and Eva." Gabriel's tears started to escape his eyes again. "Once I was old enough to do anything, my mum fell ill. After years of suffering, she passed away. I was never able to save her. What I didn't want to tell you about the arrest was that I've beaten up my father during my mum's funeral. He showed up with some woman whom he married within the first few weeks of my mum's passing. I couldn't stand it. I was ready to kill him then. I was convinced that he was the sole reason for my mum being I'll and dying so young." Gabriel tried to catch his breath between the sobs that shook his body. "I don't think I ever realised that he managed to do so much more outside of the house. I don't think I've realised that he hurt more people."
Claire was silent, trying to digest what she was just told, feeling her heart break into millions of pieces, realising what Gabriel went through.
"The files I gave you..." Claire started cautiously. "That's only a glimpse of everything that happened."
"There's more?" Gabriel asked in disbelief.
"I'm afraid so." Claire nodded. She shifted and started wiping Gabriel's face. "I didn't want to dump it on you all at once. You have a complete right to step away from this. The lawsuit against your father is being already processed. I've received a confirmation that it'll be reviewed for the first time by Friday."
"What lawyers are you using?"
"Adam Best." Claire admitted with a gulp. "He was the only one I've trusted."
"Let me help." Gabriel pleaded. "Let me help you."
"Okay." Claire nodded. "But it's not going to be easy."
"Can I just confirm something?" Gabriel asked cautiously.
"Yes?"
"It's my father's people that are following you and trying to get you, right?"
"I'm afraid so." Claire nodded.
"I suspected it for a while." Gabriel admitted. "I just needed a confirmation."
Gabriel embraced Claire even more tightly, slowly calming down as they started to talk over the plan in preparation for the court hearing.